How new active safety systems and always connected vehicles leads to challenges on antenna design and integration in the automotive domain

Current and future vehicles are rapidly increasing the interaction with the environment. Active safety systems sense other road users and support the driver by warning and emergency interventions. Vehicles are responding to information from the road network infrastructure and also assist in post crash situations by transmitting the vehicle position to the emergency centre. In the not too distant future drivers may be presented with the option to let the car to take over the role as driver under human supervision. This rapid increase of functionality has been supported by advances in radar and vision sensors as well as an increasing penetration and evolution of the wireless internet infrastructure. The number of use-cases for communication is rapidly increasing leading to an expanding number of vehicle mounted antennas. This paper provides an overview of the use-cases driving an increasing number of antennas and transceivers into today's vehicles. It also addresses the challenging requirements where packaging and optimal performance is competing. In a vehicle the communication and antenna device costs is a hinder as well as packaging space. Robust reception and transmission are in competition with design and fuel consumption. New advances on antennas for automotive are discussed and new innovative ideas for packaging are promoted.